


A Promise Made

by flipflop_diva



Series: The Promise [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Collection: Purimgifts Day 1, During Canon, Gen, Light Angst, Maria Hill is a Good Bro, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-04
Updated: 2015-03-04
Packaged: 2018-03-16 03:42:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3473141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flipflop_diva/pseuds/flipflop_diva
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maria Hill doesn't make promises easily. But once she does, she'll do whatever she can to keep them. A story in 3 parts.</p><p>In this part, Maria and Natasha have a talk. Set during Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Part 1 of 3.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Promise Made

**Author's Note:**

  * For [APgeeksout](https://archiveofourown.org/users/APgeeksout/gifts).



The night air had a bit of a bite to it, but it was the kind of bite that felt good as you inhaled it into your lungs, like the crispness of the air itself could clear your mind and ease your troubles. The lights from the city glowed on the horizon, making the world look majestic, almost like a beacon of safety, and the only sounds that could really be heard were the lapping of the water below and the far away drones of cars and an occasional train whistle.

It was the kind of night that made it easy to forget that the whole world was falling apart and that nothing was ever going to be the same again. But as Maria Hill stood on the bridge overlooking the Potomac, her hands stuffed in her pockets and her head tipped back, forgetting was the last thing she wanted to do. Instead, she replayed in her mind everything that had happened and everything that was going to happen, time and time again, to make sure there was nothing she was forgetting and nothing she was unsure about.

She didn’t know how long she had been standing there, alone, before the hairs of her neck prickled, alerting her to the presence of another person. She knew right away it was Natasha, could tell by the pure silence of her arrival and the way she seemed to slip right out of the shadows.

Maria kept her back turned, waiting, until she heard Natasha draw in a breath loud enough that Maria knew it was her way of saying that she was ready to be acknowledged.

Maria still didn’t turn around. “You should be sleeping,” she said instead, and her voice was firm, commanding, like it always was when she was directing her agents. 

“I could say the same for you,” Natasha answered. She came up on Maria’s left side, facing forward, and Maria glanced over at her. She looked pale, tired, almost lost. Very much unlike the woman Maria normally saw marching through SHIELD headquarters, the one who could send junior agents in her path scurrying away in fear with just a glance.

“I didn’t have people try to kill me today,” Maria said. “And I also didn’t get shot in the shoulder.”

Natasha shrugged. “It happens. You get used to it.”

“My whole life as I know it isn’t going to change tomorrow,” Maria continued.

“Isn’t it?” Natasha said. “All our lives are going to change. Every SHIELD agent’s is once those files are released. I’m sure they are all going to love me for doing it.”

Maria didn’t miss the slight bitterness in her tone. She turned to the side, to fully study her now. Natasha was staring straight ahead, her face blank, but Maria could read the slight signs of nervousness in the tension in her shoulders and the small crease of her eyebrows and the way her fingers were fiddling with the hem of her jacket. It had taken Maria years to figure out most of Natasha’s tells, and sometimes she wondered how much of that was because Natasha had decided to let her, but Maria liked to think that after all this time, she could see the real woman underneath all the covers. Or at least glimpses of her.

Maria had spent all evening watching Steve and Sam and Natasha together. She didn’t know everything that had happened between them in the past few days, but it was easy to see that Natasha had only agreed to the plan because of Steve. That, however, didn’t erase the fact that she was being asked to do something that could potentially have dangerous consequences for her.

Natasha twisted the hem of her jacket in her fingers. Maria reached out and placed her own hand over Natasha’s, steadying her before slipping her fingers through the other woman’s. It said something that Natasha didn’t try to pull away. In fact, she squeezed Maria’s hand gently.

“I know what releasing those files is going to mean for you, Natasha,” Maria said softly. “What it’s going to do to you.”

“It’s the right thing to do,” Natasha answered, but her grip in Maria’s hand tightened slightly. “It’ll be fine.”

Maria could have argued with her, pushed her. She knew how zealously Natasha guarded her privacy, guarded her secrets, and part of her wanted to make sure Natasha was really okay with letting the whole world in like that. But that wouldn’t be fair — Natasha had already made up her mind — so instead she went another direction. 

“Remember when you first joined SHIELD, and Fury sent us out on that mission to gain intel from the Russians?”

Natasha’s lips curled up at that. “The test mission that was supposed to prove whether I was trustworthy?”

Maria nodded. “Yes, that one. And you took a bullet for me and practically bled out before we could get you out?”

“I always did like to be dramatic.”

Maria laughed. “I think most people would call that reckless. But do you remember, after you woke up, I sat by your side and I promised you, that as long as you didn’t betray us, that I would return the favor whenever you wanted and that I would protect you if you needed it?”

Natasha turned her head, met Maria’s eyes. “And I said I didn’t need protecting,” she said.

Maria smiled. “You always have been very stubborn. That hasn’t changed.”

“Independent,” Natasha said.

“Guarded,” Maria said.

Natasha’s eyes narrowed. “Are we here to psychoanalyze me? Because I could go back inside.”

Maria squeezed her hand. “That promise still stands,” she said. “SHIELD or not, if you need me, I’ll be here.”

Natasha was quiet for a beat. “I don’t need anyone,” she finally said.

Maria didn’t let go of her hand. “Okay,” she answered. “I believe you.”


End file.
